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rich96 View Drop Down
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Posts: 596 		Post Options Post Options   Quote rich96 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Stars
    Posted: 11 Mar 17 at 10:04am
Is it just me or does watching the Stars in Miami (and the Star League events) confirm what a terrible decision it was to drop them from the Olympics ?

The coverage is amazing and the boats look so good. They must represent the peak of 'small' boat racing ?

Way more interesting that watching the skiffs, Nacras etc at the Olympics.
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Dougaldog View Drop Down
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Posts: 356 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Dougaldog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 17 at 10:24am
Rich96,
Interestingly enough, I was asked about this at the Show last weekend. From my (albeit it limited) perspective, there are two boats that you could 'drop' into the Olympics today without recreating the wheel. You've the Star, as you so rightly pointed out - and the Etchells. Their recent Worlds here on the Isle of Wight were a showcase of close, tactical, world class quality competition. Out of the two, my own money would be on the Star, the boat that has more comebacks than Cher!

Yet, at the same time, there has to be the acceptance that bringing back the Star (or even giving the Etchells a shot) would fly in the face of much of the current WS thinking. The Star in particular is probably one of the most technically demanding 2 person boats out there, which makes it hard for the boat to appeal to the 'new' nations that WS are so keen to attract. Nor is it a boat that can be said to be strong with the youth scene and it cannot be denied that Star campaigns are horribly expensive. Please note; this is the line of reasoning that I see, not that I think is right.

I could well see the MNAs, even in the so called 'wealthier' countries being very circumspect in how they approach this issue; many still have fleets of Elliott 6s from the Woman's Match Racing experiment that lasted for one Olympic rotation.

But - who is going to make way for a 100+ year old boat and at the same time, create a slot for foiling kiteboarders? 3 into 2 hasn't gone in the past and still will not do so after 2020.

D
Dougal H
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KazRob View Drop Down
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Posts: 245 		Post Options Post Options   Quote KazRob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 17 at 9:29pm
-

And not all Star sailors are hulking beasts anymore. Top boats for sure


Edited by KazRob - 11 Mar 17 at 9:31pm
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drifter View Drop Down
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Posts: 177 		Post Options Post Options   Quote drifter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 17 at 10:13pm
I agree. Stars might be old but need lots of skill to sail. Train through existing classes, Grad, Ent etc no need for spinnaker nonsense when you can get the crew to stand on the foredeck (not on my Grad though!). I've never seen a Yngling or an Elliot-where are they now?
Stewart
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PeterG View Drop Down
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Posts: 822 		Post Options Post Options   Quote PeterG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 17 at 9:00am
Great pic, it makes you realise just how damn big that mainsail is. But then, of course the boat is no lightweight!
Peter
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RS400atC View Drop Down
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Posts: 3011 		Post Options Post Options   Quote RS400atC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 17 at 9:03am
I saw a tiny amount of the 'lympic star racing at Weymoth on the telly.
a lot of standing on the foredeck and wobbling the boat.
Looked like refugees from It's a Knockout.
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JimC View Drop Down
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Posts: 6662 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 17 at 10:53am
Originally posted by drifter

I've never seen a Yngling or an Elliot

Have you ever *seen* a Star?
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Roger View Drop Down
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Posts: 524 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 17 at 12:12pm
With the creation of the Star Sailors League the class has worked incredibly hard to maintain a high profile and offer the sailors continued high class competition around the world, more meaningful to many of us has been the great reporting and live coverage offered from all the "big" events, like many other classes giving far better live coverage than we see from the Olympics.

I plead guilty to streaming the events and at times being gripped by the close racing, whatever the conditions, it's a shame there is no representation from the UK (apart from by VIP invitation to the finals) but let's not discuss that.
The Star Sailors League provides high quality competition for the competitors at a huge variety of venues, excellent online coverage and of course significant prizes are up for grabs, you can only applaud the class for keeping all this going.

I have never or are ever likely to sail a Star, but that's not the point, it's provided as entertainment for the sailors and the viewers.
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Roger View Drop Down
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Posts: 524 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 17 at 12:16pm
Originally posted by drifter

I've never seen a Yngling or an Elliot-where are they now?


There are a few Elliots at WPNSA, they have been retained for a variety of match racing events and can be seen in Portland Harbour several weekends a year.
In fact I seem to remember last year you could have seen an Yngling and a Star also sat in the compound there, although they may well have gone by now.
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KazRob View Drop Down
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Posts: 245 		Post Options Post Options   Quote KazRob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 17 at 12:23pm
Originally posted by JimC

Originally posted by drifter

I've never seen a Yngling or an Elliot

Have you ever *seen* a Star?

Ah that old myth that no one sails Stars. 
There is a UK fleet in Norfolk and a few others here and there in the U.K., but it's a strong class elsewhere. When I had my last one there was something like 4000 active boats around the world in the yearbook which is a little bit more than the total numbers built of that oft quoted popular keelboat the Flying Fifteen.
We often accuse the Americans of suffering from a limited world view, but for sailboats we can be just as bad
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